Floor-clamp



UNrrnin sraras PATENT FEIQE.,

H. G. WIGHT, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOOR-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,913, dated July 13, 1858.

Eloors and Similar Purposes; and I do.

hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of the same,-

reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a side view of my improvement. Fig. 2, is a plan or top view of ditto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention consists in the employment or use of a toggle arranged with a power screw, claw plate and jaw or pressure plate; the whole being fitted or attached to a proper framing or support as hereinafter shown whereby a powerful, portable, and economical clamp is obtained, suitable for laying floors or for other work in which clamps are generally employed.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a frame which is composed of a bed piece a, having an upright b, attached, and projecting from it at right angles. To the upright b, a nut c, is attached by a bolt or pivot c, and B, is a screw which is fitted in said nut. This screw has a hand wheel (Z, on its upper end and its lower end is attached to a block e, to which the upper ends of two levers C, D, of a toggle are pivoted. The lower end of the lever I), is secured by a bolt 7, to the bed piece a, of the frame A. And on this bolt f, the inner end of a plate E, is fitted, said plate having spurs g', at its under side near its outer end. The inner end of the plate E, is allowed to work freely on the bolt 7". To the lower end of the lever C, a plate or bar F, is attached by a bolt h, and this bolt passes through a slot z', in a vertical ledge j, on the bed piece a, said slotted ledge serving as a guide for the plate or bar. On the outer. end of the plate or bar F, a jaw G, is formed said jaw being simply a head having a plane face j, at right angles with the upper surface of the plate or bar. To the inner side of the ledge y', a projection K, is attached, said projection resting on the upper surface of the bar or plate and preventing the same from rising upward.

In laying floors the implement is used as follows: The bed a, of the frame is placed on a beam H, the screw B, is raised or elevated to its fullest extent, the jaw or head. G, being placed against the board ax, to be adjusted and the plate E, depressed by the foot of the operator so that the spurs g, may enter the beam and serve as a hold fast. The hand wheel d, is then turned and the screw B, forced down, the levers C, D, depressed and the jaw G, consequently pressed against the board ax. By having the nut c, pivoted to the upright I), it allows the screw to change its position relatively with the block e, so as to compensate for the varying position of the levers.

This device may be used for all clamping purposes and will prove a valuable implement for carpenters and joiners. It may be made quite portable, is exceedingly powerful and it may be constructed at small cost.

I do not claim broadly the employment or use of a toggle for that is a well known mechanical device, but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The toggle formed of the levers C, D, connected with a screw B, which passes or works through a pivoted c, in combination with the claw-plate E, and head or jaw Gr, attached respectively to the levers C, D, the whole being arranged and connected with the frame A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HIRAM C. WIGI-IT.

Witnesses:

C. I-I. BALLARD, LUKE B. WITHERBY. 

